Nearly Half Chiswick Sixth Formers Gain Russell Group Place

Some outstanding performances in this year's A Level results

Chiswick School's Ellie, Milly, Mohamed, and Tamina with their results

August 14, 2025

There was lots of good news for the Year 13 cohort at Chiswick School this Thursday morning (14 August) with students learning their A Level and BTEC results.

It was a banner year for the sixth form with 45% gaining places at Russell Group universities including Oxbridge, They will be starting courses ranging from Medicine, Law, Environmental Sustainability and Digital Media Production.

There were particularly strong performances in individual subjects with 40% of students who studied Physics, Further Maths, Textiles, and Philosophy A Level achieving an A* or A. The academic picture as a whole was e positive with over 81% of all grades being A*-C, a measure that is above the national average.

Some of the most exceptional results were:

• Mohamed A: A*,A*,A*,A* will be studying Engineering at University of Cambridge.

• Milly C-S: A*, A*, A*, A will be studying Engineering at University of Cambridge

• Afig Z: A*, A*, A, A will be studying Design Engineering at Imperial College London

• Mary P: A*, A, A, A will be studying Finance at London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London

• Tamina B: A*, A, A, A will be studying Mathematical Physics at The University of Edinburgh

• Hussein H: A*, A, A, A will be studying Biochemistry at Queen Mary University of London

• Joe L: A*, A, A will be studying Mathematics at the University of Manchester

• Mario L: A*, A, A will be studying Accounting and Finance at the University of Warwick

• James M: A*, A, A will be studying Aeronautical Engineering at University of Glasgow

Chiswick School's Sienna, Emily and Alyssia with their results

Headteacher Laura Ellener said, “We are immensely proud of the Chiswick School Class of 2025. Their great results reflect the commitment, perseverance, and determination they have demonstrated throughout their time with us. These achievements have been made possible through the unwavering dedication of our exceptional staff and the invaluable encouragement from families. We look forward to following our leavers’ future successes and to welcoming them back as valued members of our alumni community.”

Head of Sixth Form, Christian Williams, commented, “I’m thrilled that so many of our students are moving on to their first-choice destinations, it’s made today an incredibly joyful occasion.”

West London Free School (WLFS) on King Street in Hammersmith has announced its highest-ever A-level results, with 87 percent of all grades awarded at A*, A, or B. Nearly half of the students achieved three straight A or A* grades, reflecting a significant academic milestone for the school.

According to the school’s data, 94 percent of applicants will be attending their first-choice university or institution. The destinations include Russell Group universities, Oxbridge colleges, and specialist arts and vocational programmes.

Thirteen students from WLFS have secured places at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, with nine attending Oxford and four attending Cambridge. This represents a notable increase from the school’s previous record of seven Oxbridge admissions in 2023.

In total, 67 percent of WLFS applicants will be attending a Russell Group university. The University of Bristol has emerged as the most popular destination, with thirteen students due to enrol there this autumn.

Students from disadvantaged backgrounds have also achieved places at leading institutions. These include courses in Film and English at the University of Bristol, International Relations at Queen Mary University of London, Philosophy and English Literature at the University of Edinburgh, and Biomedical Sciences at Queen Mary University.

In addition to traditional university routes, WLFS students have secured competitive vocational and creative placements. These include a Civil Engineering degree apprenticeship with Taylor Woodrow and a Level 4 apprenticeship in Directing and Cinematography with Pinewood Studios. Students will also be attending specialist colleges such as the University Campus of Football Business, Kensington and Chelsea College, Kingston University, and the University of the Arts London, where two students will study on the highly sought-after Animation course.

WLFS has demonstrated consistent improvement in A-level performance over recent years. In 2025, 60 percent of all grades were awarded at A* or A, 87 percent at A* to B, and 96 percent at A* to C. These figures mark a steady upward trend since 2019, when the corresponding percentages were 31 percent, 57 percent, and 76 percent respectively.

Joint Headteachers Ben McLaughlin and Robert Peal expressed their pride in the students’ achievements. They attributed the results to the dedication of teaching staff, a strong academic ethos, and the commitment of pupils. “We are absolutely delighted with the results this year,” they said. “Their astonishing grades cement our place as one of the best state schools in the country to study A-levels.”

Ian Hunter, Chief Executive of the Knowledge Schools Trust, also praised the outcomes. He noted the success across all A-level subjects and highlighted the achievements of students from disadvantaged backgrounds who gained entry to some of the UK’s leading universities.

St Benedict’s School in Ealing reported continued academic success across a broad range of subjects. This year, 49% of all A Level grades awarded were A* or A, with 83% at A*, A or B.

The school reports that the majority of students achieved their first-choice university offers, with destinations including the University of Oxford and several Russell Group institutions such as Imperial College London, UCL, LSE, Durham, Bristol, Manchester, Edinburgh, and Bath.

All students who applied for Medicine and Dentistry were accepted into universities including Sheffield, Cardiff, and Southampton. Ten students achieved straight A grades or higher.

Notable individual outcomes include:

- Mia V achieved A*A*A*A* and will study Physics at the University of Bristol
- Callum McG gained A*A*A*A and will study Mechanical Engineering at the University of Manchester
- Helena R also gained A*A*A*A to study Classics at the University of Oxford along with the accolade of being awarded an organ scholarship
- Artie H also achieved A*A*A*A and will pursue further studies in Biochemistry at Imperial
- Alice M and Diego A both achieved A*A*A* and will go on to study Psychology at Bath and UCL respectively
- Alfie L gained A*A*A to study Social Sciences at Durham
- Nancy M also achieved A*A*A and will study Biology at Leeds

Speaking about her results Helena R said, “I am very excited to be going to Jesus College, Oxford to read Classics as an Organ Scholar. Particular thanks to the Music and Classics departments who have helped me immensely.”

Nancy M also added, “I’m very pleased with my results and would like to thank all my teachers for their guidance and support throughout my 15 years at St Benedict’s!”

School leaders noted the cohort’s academic performance and broader contributions to school life. Headmaster Joe Smith acknowledged the role of staff and families in supporting student outcomes, while senior staff highlighted the students’ resilience and personal development.

Alex Heald, Director of Sixth Form, said, “It has been a real privilege to work with this exceptional group of students. Their academic achievements are outstanding, but just as important has been their commitment to supporting each other, contributing to school life, and growing as confident, thoughtful young adults. These results reflect years of hard work and the strength of relationships built across our Sixth Form community. I have no doubt that they will go on to make a positive impact in whatever field they choose.”


Headmaster Joe Smith with students Krish S and Callum McG. Picture: St Benedict's

Councillor Samia Chaudhary, Cabinet Member for Education, Children, Skills, and Employment at Hounslow Council said, “I want to congratulate our A Level and BTEC students in Hounslow for their incredible effort. Over 76% of A-Levels were awarded at the top grades of A*- C.

“Their incredible hard work has paid off and we are proud of what they have achieved. I would also like to thank our teachers who work tirelessly to deliver the absolute best outcomes for our students. I wish all the students well for the future.”

Students across London have outperformed their peers nationally with 32.1% of entries awarded grades A or A*—the highest proportion in England. The capital’s results continue a trend of strong academic performance, with London maintaining its lead over other regions for the second consecutive year.

Nationally, 28.3% of entries received an A or A*, up from 27.8% in 2024 and well above the pre-pandemic figure of 25.4% in 2019. The overall pass rate (grades A* to E) rose slightly to 97.5%, while 77.9% of entries achieved a grade C or above.

The gap between London and the lowest-performing region, the North East, has widened to 9.2 percentage points—its largest since the current grading system was introduced in 2010. In the North East, just 22.9% of entries achieved A or A*, down from 23.9% last year.

This year also saw boys overtake girls in top-grade attainment for the first time since 2018. Boys secured 28.4% of A or A* grades, compared to 28.2% for girls. At the highest level, 9.9% of boys’ entries received an A*, compared to 9.1% for girls.

Maths remained the most popular A-Level subject for the twelfth consecutive year, followed by psychology and biology. More than 814,000 A-Level results were issued across England, alongside over 250,000 vocational and technical qualifications.

For students who did not receive their expected grades, UCAS Clearing offers over 22,000 courses with vacancies, including at Russell Group universities. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson described this year as “a return to normal” following pandemic-related disruptions.